Octopus my octopus

Another day, another shadowbox.

I've really been working hard in the studio, bringing pieces to completion.

I still have shadowboxes to paint, so there will be more to come.

I need lionfish, so they'll most likely be soon gracing the easel.

Anyone who knows me, also knows I was a professional seamstress.

February of 1993 my family and I were rear ended by a drunk driver.

I was left with basically permanent damage to my neck and shoulder.

Two herniated discs and nerve damage to my shoulder.

My seam stressing career was pretty much over.

But God stepped in and opened a door.

A door that was a childhood hobby.

Painting became my passion as a way to work through the pain and damage.

Eventually, painting became a business as well as a passion.

But, the sewing still calls my name.

I now sew only special costumes for incredible organizations and individuals.

So much fun, and such creativity.

This type of sewing is allowing my artistic side to be showcased in incredible ways.

My machine doesn't get near the use it did, but there are still times the 

1500 stitches a minute are put to full use.

This particular machine, a Pfaff 260 is a German made machine that was made for industrial use.

My machine was then sold for home use and found it's way to me in about 1984.

We paid an astronomical $400 back then!

Many years of hard use and it's still going very strong.

Problem is, it's in a big 2ft x 4ft table.

It takes up an incredible amount of room.

Good thing my studio is large, because this machine will never leave.....

My husband was looking for a straw hat at Goodwill.

He is familiar with the Pfaff brand and found one yesterday at Goodwill.

He came sheepishly to me and said, "I found something".

I could not believe my eyes as I looked at an almost perfect, pristine, performing, Pfaff 260!

I don't NEED another machine.....

But the seamstress in me was dancing with joy, looking at this barely used, wood cabinet full of 

the book, bobbins, needles, feet for different uses, and even has the wheel you use to make the decorative stitches work.

It was taped shut.

I told my husband I just wanted to see one thing inside.

We carefully removed the tape and found the chain drives intact.

This machine is not as fast as mine, the motor is only 7200 rpms.

(My baby has a 1/3 horsepower motor, hence 1500 stitches a minute.)

No third hand, hmmmm.

We plugged it in, and it actually ran like a champ.

Zigzag was frozen, but otherwise looked brand new.

Research proved by the serial number it was manufactured from 1961-1962.

The same as my machine, except a smaller cabinet, smaller motor, and almost a barn fresh find.

Needless to say, I bought it....

Getting it home, we sprayed it with wrench release, oiled the ever living daylights out of it.

The poor machine sucked up oil as we put it in the oil ports.

It runs, and we actually got the zigzag to work partially.

Historically, the machines were shipped from Germany with a combination of Vaseline and kerosine to keep them from rusting on the long trip here.

Problem is, this combination caused almost a varnish to form when the machine was in use, that gummed things up a bit.

Really stiff, but found paperwork where it was worked on in Mobile by Geo Givens and son in 1988.

Then a receipt showing it had a cleaning done in 2011.

I don't know why it ended up at Goodwill.....

I took the head to the shop in town today for a cleaning, adjusting, and repair of the zigzag.

Needless to say, I am ecstatic to have another of my favorite machine ever under my roof.

I am eternally grateful to the family that donated it to Goodwill.

It will stay downstairs until I can rearrange my studio make room for the "new" machine.

Octopus my octopus, Acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 16 x16

Day 65 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2023